Shotguns and shotgun shells have been used by hunters for many years. In the past, shotgun shells were loaded with a number of individual pellets which are propelled from the shotgun when the shell is discharged. As is well known in the art, these pellets are relatively small in size and desirably retain a close pattern as they are propelled towards a target in order that they will have maximum effectiveness. Although lead has been previously used for the pellets in shotgun shells, environmental concerns have dictated the discontinuing use of lead for pellets and ammunition manufacturers have substituted steel for the pellets. However, steel is not nearly as dense as lead and as a result the pattern density of the shot is not as close over comparable distances. This reduces the effectiveness and "clean killing range" of a steel pellet shotgun shell when compared to a lead pellet shotgun shell.
In response to this reduced effectiveness, ammunition manufacturers have been experimenting with other types of materials for pellets. Materials such as tungsten have been experimented with but those tests have been inconclusive. Furthermore, the increased cost of tungsten over the price of lead or steel makes shells significantly more expensive. This is similarly true with other kinds of substitute materials presently being experimented with and which are available in the market at these increased prices.
In order to improve the effectiveness of steel pellet shotgun shells and thereby render them more acceptable as a substitute for lead pellet shotgun shells, the inventor herein has succeeded in developing a technique for significantly improving the pattern density of steel shot with relatively little increased cost. This technique involves utilizing magnetic forces in the cluster of pellets in order to releasably unite a substantial portion of the pellets as the shell is discharged and the pellets are propelled through the gun barrel and in the direction of the target. The use of magnetic forces may take several different forms. In a first embodiment, a small number of magnetized pellets, made from chrome steel for example, may be intermixed with standard pellets (steel) such that they are arranged randomly throughout the load of the steel shot. This randomization of the magnetized pellets results in clusters of pellets as the shot is expelled from the shotgun. In an alternate embodiment, the magnetized pellets may be concentrated in the center of the load or in several portions of the load to thereby increase the magnetic field generated by the pellets. In still another embodiment, all of the pellets may be magnetized for those instances where the shells are being used for crowd control situations or other anti-personnel applications.
If the magnetized pellets are surrounded by standard steel pellets, the magnetic pellets will not as readily contact the inside of the gun barrel. This helps protect the interior gun barrel from the increased wear and potential scoring which might occur should the magnetic pellets come in direct contact therewith as the magnetic pellets are generally made from a harder grade of steel in order to better hold their magnetic polarity. In order to minimize the increased wear and potential scoring of the gun, a protective coating may be applied to the individual pellets, such as with silicone or Teflon.TM. (polytetrafluroethylene), to thereby provide a lubricant. Also, graphite could be used as well.